To provide a method with which a fracture generated on the surface of a sample is detected and specified with the maximum accuracy without errors by detecting and analyzing the fracture, so as to obtain information on the structure and depth of the fracture.
In this method, the surface to be inspected is first irradiated with parallel rays and the radiation reflected from the surface is supplied to a position analyzing image processing means. Then a mask is produced, based on an image supplied from the image processing means. The mask has a mask area, demarcated by the relatively bright portion of the image and a non-mask area demarcated by the relatively dark portion of the image. Thereafter, the surface to be inspected is irradiated with diffused rays and the radiation reflected by the surface is supplied to the position-analyzing image processing means. At performing of the analysis, only the radiation from the non-mask area is considered.
MARCH PETER
KELLNER FRANK
